dehumanization of the victim

n. A mental process whereby a person who harms someone reduces the value of the victim in his or her own mind so as to escape the guilt the action would normally elicit. This is done by suggesting the person lacks some aspect of humanity, as in "They don't have feelings like we do"; deserves to be harmed, as in "Terrorists have no rights"; or are not really human, as in "They are subhumans."